Effects of drug-induced changes in resting blood pressure on classically conditioned heart rate and blood pressure in restrained rats.

Subsequent to receiving aversive classical conditioning, which led to a decelerative heart rate (HR) conditioned response (CR) and a pressor-depressor blood pressure (BP) CR, three separate groups of restrained rats received intravenous infusion of sodium nitroprusside (40 micrograms/mg/min) to lower baseline BP, phenylephrine (17 micrograms/mg/min) to raise baseline BP, or an equivalent volume of saline. Conditioning test trials during infusion revealed that hypotension produced by sodium nitroprusside eliminated the HR CR and transformed the BP CR into a pressor-only reaction. Hypertension produced by phenylephrine facilitated the HR CR and changed the BP CR to a pressor-only response on selected trials in which baseline BP increases and baseline HR decreases were within restricted limits. Following drug withdrawal, the HR CRs of both drug groups and the BP CR of the phenylephrine group were attenuated. The unconditioned responses to the shock unconditioned stimulus under phenylephrine were exaggerated and consisted of tachycardias and depressor BP changes, whereas under sodium nitroprusside reduced tachycardias and depressor activity occurred. The results suggested that the loss of the vagally mediated HR CR under sodium nitroprusside was due to baroreceptor-controlled inhibition of vagal discharge and that the enhancement of the HR CR under phenylephrine was due to baroreceptor-influenced facilitation of vagal discharge.